Ooops, there goes another rubber tree plant!
This was bound to happen, and it has. From the Associated Press:
“Massachusetts, the first state to legalize gay marriage, sued the U.S. government Wednesday over a federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The federal Defense of Marriage Act interferes with the right of Massachusetts to define and regulate marriage as it sees fit, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said. The 1996 law denies federal recognition of gay marriage and gives states the right to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Boston, argues the act “constitutes an overreaching and discriminatory federal law.” It says the approximately 16,000 same-sex couples who have married in Massachusetts since the state began performing gay marriages in 2004 are being unfairly denied federal benefits given to heterosexual couples.
Besides Massachusetts, five other states — Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Iowa — have legalized gay marriage. Gay marriage opponents in Maine said Wednesday that they had collected enough signatures to put the state’s new law on the November ballot for a possible override.”
The question, if not this particular case, is probably headed to the Supreme Court, and it will be interesting to see how the conservatives twist and turn on it. They have been advocates of federalism and states’ rights, and honoring that philosophy would require them to support the right of states to determine for themselves what marriage means.
In a little-noted change last month, the State Department also said it would issue passports to gay couples using their married names, in effect a federal recognition of their status almost certain to be cited in the court arguments. So change is coming, it’s just taking time, and it’s actually taking a lot less time than I would have thought say, five or ten years ago.
As Frank would sing, “Ooops, there goes another rubber tree plant!”
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300 comments Add your comment
Bud Wiser
July 9th, 2009
8:18 am
“High Hopes” should be more aptly named “High Dopes”.
So this is news? A daily bone toss to the G&L crowd is more like it.
Obowo’s aides are working feverishly on a new bow or groveling approach the PLOTUS can use when he eventually musters the courage to deal with N Korea. Crawling on his stomach has not yet been ruled out.
WASHINGTON – House Democrats at work on health legislation are narrowing in on an income tax surcharge on the highest-paid wage earners to help pay the cost of subsidizing insurance for the 50 million who lack it.
As discussed in the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, the surtax would apply to individuals with adjusted gross income of more than $200,000 and couples over $250,000, according to officials involved in the discussion. Most spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were private.
Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., has said his committee needs to come up with $600 billion in new taxes to deliver on President Barack Obama’s goal of sweeping changes to the nation’s health care system….
Duh.
So who really is stupid enough or gullible enough to think that the floor on ‘the rich’ will be $200K? Anyone smart enough to count to one has already seen how the “..95% of Americans will pay less taxes…” b/s is panning out. Only the mentally challenged and the 94%ers still follow Obowo, chasing that ephemeral cracker, so you fools had better run faster!
May as well mention also that unemployment stats came out today showing that it is UP more than 20% above figures predicted by the WH when ramming their first ‘stimulus’ down America’s throat.
More lies from the Master Liar-In-Chief.
And the idiots still swoon……..
I Report :-) You Whine :-(
July 9th, 2009
8:19 am
Hot damn!
I just knew that finally the libs would find the federal government to be “over reaching,” this is a majestic break through of epic proportions, let’s start the parades and shoot some more fireworks.
Do wonders never cease to amaze?
Yay!
Copyleft
July 9th, 2009
8:23 am
Ahh, the wheels of due process grind slowly. But the bigotry will eventually be overthrown.
Whiner is assuming some sort of “mass outrage and uprising” over the horrible specter of equal rights, which we can safely assume won’t happen for two reasons:
1. It goes against everything we’ve seen of American behavior patterns.
2. Whiner wants it to happen. And as we know, Whiner is always wrong.
Progress. You can’t stop it, bigots, no matter how hard you try!
say what?
July 9th, 2009
8:29 am
Conservatives are still for states’ rights; the problem in this situation lies with one state trying to infringe on the rights of citizens in another. For instance, Georgia does not allow gay “marriage” and its citizens have voiced that opinion just as they have in California. DOMA ensures that our state does not have to recognize the actions of those couples in Massachusetts. What they ultimately want is for every state to have to enforce gay “marriage rights” whether every state wishes to or not. This is an instance where a federal law such as DOMA helps ensure that states’ rights are not infringed upon.
So let the states determine how they want to go about this matter; let’s hope the court has enough sense not to force this upon the many, many states that do not want it.
Mrs. Godzilla
July 9th, 2009
8:30 am
It’s FABULOUS!
Night Train
July 9th, 2009
8:35 am
This is as good as any place to start to reign in Federal control. After the feds get ‘bitched slapped’ over this we can start undoing a few other federal mandates to the states.
George American
July 9th, 2009
8:40 am
God meant for it to be Adam ‘n Eve not
Adam ‘n Steve
huhu hu
Brad Steel
July 9th, 2009
8:43 am
Bud Wiser,
I think you may be confused. This is not the chat room for cranky old curmudgeons who like to complain about the government. You may want to seek out your nearest old folks home – lots of grizzled old men complaining about the government there – and APPLESAUCE!!!
rcs
July 9th, 2009
8:44 am
and it will be interesting to see how the liberals twist and turn on it. They have not been advocates of federalism and states’ rights, and honoring that philosophy would require them to support the right of states.
Eric
July 9th, 2009
8:49 am
Don’t be telling anyone what God wants or what God thinks or what God meant. You don’t know God and you sure as hell can’t read his/her mind! I’m not sure you can read your own.
Redneck Convert
July 9th, 2009
8:51 am
Well, you might of knowed we’d get states suing to make the rest of us treat gay marriage like it’s a normal thing. Well, it ain’t. It’s against the Bible. No offense to Josef or any of the other gays on this blog, but it’s just Sin. And we all know where you go when you Sin.
Next thing we know every state will be forced to treat gays that marry just like reglar people that marry. Our health insurance will go up because so many of them have AIDS. We won’t even be able to get a divorce on time because the gay couples will be clogging up the courts. I read somewhere that red states have a higher divorce rate than blue states, so us people in the South will have longer lines to get unhitched. We’ll be forced to live in Sin with somebody that ain’t our wife, it will take so long. The gays will be making a lot of us normal people go to You Know Where when we die.
And the worst part is all the gay marriages will just cancel reglar marriages. That’s what the preachers say and I beleive it. One night you go to bed married. In the morning you’ll wake up with somebody you ain’t married to no more and be living in Sin.
Anyhow, I been giving some thought to what will happen to me when my marriage gets cancelled by the gays. Do I re-up with the missus or should I look around to see what’s out there? Right now, it don’t look too good, judging by the women on this blog. This Midori is a sassy little thing and has been broke in already, but she would go and cancel my vote at the polls. I reckon @@ would be single too by then and is a good Conservative, but that’s the kind of woman that would pump about five bullets into your head while you were trying to get some sleep.
So it seems to me we need a amendment right fast to keep the rest of the states from recognizing gay marriage. If we don’t do it fast we will all be in big-time trouble. Have a good day everybody.
USinUK
July 9th, 2009
8:51 am
here’s what I find interesting … NONE of the wingy-wingy-wingnuts have commented about Panetta coming out and admitting that, yes, the CIA DID, in fact, mislead members of Congress about “significant actions” since 2001.
hrmmmmm … could it be that Nancy Pelosi was RIGHT ALL ALONG???
(can’t wait to hear the sound of Whiner’s head e’sploding)
Mrs. Godzilla
July 9th, 2009
8:51 am
Thank heavens heterosexuals never were poly/cotton blends, get haircuts
or eat shellfish!
They would never want to be an abomination…..
USinUK
July 9th, 2009
8:52 am
Mrs G – or work on Sunday or touch the skin of a pig or plant different things next to each other …
George American
July 9th, 2009
8:53 am
Ulike YOU, Eric, I have read the BIBLE. I know exactly what God has said. And regarding gay marriage – it’s not looking good (see: “abomination”)
It’s all right there. It won’t hurt you to take a read. Might make you less angry.
WhoCares
July 9th, 2009
8:54 am
I don’t get the whole ruber tree thing. But then again I’m not a big Sinatra fan.
WhoCares
July 9th, 2009
8:56 am
oops, obviously that’s supposed to be rubber tree. Don’t you hate it when your fingers outrun your keyboard, even if you only use two fingers?
Mrs. Godzilla
July 9th, 2009
8:56 am
USinUK
Does football count as an abomination?
USinUK
July 9th, 2009
8:58 am
Mrs. G – only if it’s UGA
Normal
July 9th, 2009
9:00 am
On that note, I heard on NPR that a group of Gay and Straight service men and women have formed a group called Voices Of Honor and are going around touring the country trying to get DADT overturned in the Services. The main point here is that these are all pretty much 20 somethings. Their generation is more diverse. Yes, change will come.
diversity begats tolerance, tolerance begats understanding, understanding begats acceptance. Sounds very Biblical to me…Just sayin’
George American
July 9th, 2009
9:00 am
Unfortunately our whole beautiful country has become the pathetic Obamanation.
WhoCares
July 9th, 2009
9:02 am
Holy Crap I just looked at the headline again and it says ‘Ooops’
So is it Ooops or Oops?
DoggoneGA
July 9th, 2009
9:03 am
“Unfortunately our whole beautiful country has become the pathetic Obamanatione”
Beats being Bush league
Mrs. Godzilla
July 9th, 2009
9:04 am
George,
Ya’ know if ya’ don’t like it Delta is ready when you are!
Peadawg
July 9th, 2009
9:06 am
“Ya’ know if ya’ don’t like it Delta is ready when you are!”
The same can be said about gays and lesbians. If you don’t like how America defines marriage, Delta is ready when you are.
ByteMe
July 9th, 2009
9:06 am
Who cares: depends on how long you hold the note.
I Report :-) You Whine :-(
July 9th, 2009
9:07 am
NONE of the wingy-wingy-wingnuts have commented about Panetta coming out and admitting that, yes, the CIA DID, in fact, mislead members of Congress about “significant actions” since 2001.
Yeah, like that “outing” of Valerie Plame thingie.
eewwww
getalife
July 9th, 2009
9:07 am
You can fly Southwest for 30 bucks one way!
getalife
July 9th, 2009
9:08 am
Yeah Andy,
Apologize to Pelosi.
Once Again
July 9th, 2009
9:08 am
I have no problem with President Obama.. but would someone please tell me ONE of his programs that has worked to date? Thx
George American
July 9th, 2009
9:09 am
Ms. Gogzirra,
Thank you for the oh-so-original update of: “America, love it or leave!”
Here’s one for you: Got Bitter?
I Report :-) You Whine :-(
July 9th, 2009
9:09 am
Crash and burn, baby, burn-
Waxman’s comments came amid several other warning signs for the administration, including a slipping timetable in the Senate, internal division in the hospital industry and mounting tensions between AARP and the pharmaceutical industry that threaten a temporary detente between the two negotiated last month by the White House.-WaPo
bwa
Copyleft
July 9th, 2009
9:10 am
Peadawg: Nah, I think we’d rather cram some more reform and progress down the throats of the screaming redneck bigots, like usual.
We did it with the Civil Rights movement, and we’ll do it again here. As always, liberal ideals win in the end, and the conservatives mutter and grumble their way to the grave….
ByteMe
July 9th, 2009
9:11 am
Reality check: read the 14th Amendment.
From Section 1: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
The SCOTUS has held that marriages — and contracts — legally entered into in one state are valid in ALL states.
It’s only a matter of time until a case gets to the court and they have to recognize this for what it is: a contract law situation that demands equal protection in all states.
USinUK
July 9th, 2009
9:12 am
Whiney-Whiney-Whiner –
“Yeah, like that “outing” of Valerie Plame thingie.”
yeah – like they’re really going to admit that an operative is covert when they don’t have to …
nice try … but epic fail.
Normal
July 9th, 2009
9:13 am
George, who cares what the Bible says, it’s only a Catholic book, written for mostly political reasons…
Mrs. Godzilla
July 9th, 2009
9:17 am
Peadawg…
Actually you are right….they could if they wanted to.
However, the gay community, being real Americans and all have stood here fighting for their rights for decades now and it would be silly for them to jet out just as they are coming so close to equal rights. You don’t advocate for silly do you?
As for you folks who think our President Obama is ruining America….well that’s a new thing…much easier for y’all to just
cut and run .
George American,
What one might call “oh so original” another might call “classic”.
And yes I have angostura in the cabinet – required for a perfect Manhattan you goose!
Somalia requires a firm hand…..you two could do the job.
BTW
I suspect it was always the plan to have DOMA challenged in just this way…..
Peadawg
July 9th, 2009
9:17 am
“George, who cares what the Bible says, it’s only a Catholic book, written for mostly political reasons…”
Normal, are you one of those people that thinks when you die, you come back as a tree or some crazy stuff like that?
getalife
July 9th, 2009
9:18 am
Although I disagree with taking impeachment off the table for political gain, it does take spine to take on the CIA, call them liars and win.
Will boner and the cons apologize to Pelosi?
The dems should demand an apology until they do.
Peadawg
July 9th, 2009
9:21 am
Godzilla, I’m all for equal rights. Why not call it a civil union, give them the same rights as a marriage, and move on? Why redefine a word that been around for thousands of years?
RealityKing
July 9th, 2009
9:22 am
One day very soon there will be a pill that reverses this behavior disorder known as homosexuality. Are we to then discourage the abnormal from taking it??
>>>
“It was amazing. I never thought we’d be able to do that sort of thing, because sexual orientation is supposed to be hard-wired,” Featherstone said. “This fundamentally changes how we think about this behavior.”
http://www.livescience.com/animals/071209-fly-genes.html
http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Fruit_Flys_Homosexuality_Turned_Off_And_On_With_Drugs_11615.html
FinnMcCool
July 9th, 2009
9:22 am
Two Snaps Up!
Joey
July 9th, 2009
9:22 am
High Hopes seems to be about unwise and unnecessary distruction of worthwhile structures that generally benefit the people. Productive rubber trees. Dams that provide electricity and other benefits to the community.
Jay may have hit on a just comparision. A few states pass a law. They demand that Federal Courts force other states to abide by that law. And Oops there goes a billion kilowatt dam.
I support each state making its own law, with voters consent, about this and other controversial issues.
Get Real
July 9th, 2009
9:23 am
I’m a democrat, but believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. IMO, its the equivalent of giving equal rights to illegal immigrants. Gay marriage just opens up a whole new can of worms in our society that shouldn’t be opened. Will respect the law if it passes, but won’t be out promoting gay marriage.
USinUK
July 9th, 2009
9:24 am
getalife –
“Will boner and the cons apologize to Pelosi? The dems should demand an apology until they do.”
oh, yeah … that’s soooooooooo gonna happen … Boehner and his ilk would rather set his tongue on fire than admit he was wrong about anything.
HI FINN!!!
Mrs. Godzilla
July 9th, 2009
9:24 am
Peadawg
Because in those thousands of years it has meant marriage between a man and a woman, a man and multiple women, a woman and multiple men, men and men and women and women – at one time or another in one place or another.
and because it is the right thing to do.
Peadawg
July 9th, 2009
9:24 am
You know, the whole gay vs. straight fight kinda reminds me of the X-Men movies w/ the gays being the mutants. We need some kid that has the ability to turn someone straight when they get w/in 5 feet of him.
RealityKing
July 9th, 2009
9:25 am
Perhaps science will come up with a pill that turns black people white.., hey Copyleft??
GayGrayGeek
July 9th, 2009
9:26 am
Mrs. G @ 8:51 – Don’t forget cheeseburgers, and (heavens forfend) BACON cheeseburgers!
Peadawg
July 9th, 2009
9:27 am
“Gay marriage just opens up a whole new can of worms in our society that shouldn’t be opened”
Exactly…what’s next? Brothers and sisters can marry? Billy Bob Joe can marry his goat? You give equal rights to one group, you gotta do it for all, right Godzilla, Normal?